On his way out of New York City, Russ Manning tried to explain how he hopes listeners will receive the lyrics to his new album. When the Skype connection held, he said that he’s planning on posting them online soon.
“Sometimes people just don’t understand what I’m saying,” he said.
The Brooklyn musician, better known as his alter ego Rush Midnight, began his North American tour May 20 in support of his self-titled album.
Rush Midnight will be stopping at Mavericks in Ottawa June 12.
He said the album, which came out May 27, is more stripped down than a traditional dance album. With just a few synths, a bass, and a guitar, Manning explained he recorded most of his music in his bedroom. His setup for the tour maintains this minimalism. Consisting of himself on bass and vocals, a drummer, and guitarist-keyboard player, Manning said he hopes to bring the laid-back atmosphere of his bedroom to his shows.
And with this pared-down sound, he said he hopes the music will not only make people want to dance, but also intrigue them.
“I guess the philosophy is I don’t really want to try too hard,” he said. “So, we just play our instruments, and hopefully people can understand the lyrics.”
This philosophy is part of the character Manning developed while on tour as Twin Shadow’s bass player. His alter ego, Rush Midnight, is one that doesn’t take itself too seriously and can say or do things he might not, Manning said.
These things might be the high-stakes game of kickball he played for the music video for his song, “Closer.” With just one teammate—New York drag queen Cher Noble—and in the freezing cold, Manning plays one of the most intense games of the schoolyard sport to make it on camera.
The music he writes and the fantasy world he’s created in his music act as an escape, Manning explained. And as far as fantasy worlds go, Manning’s appears to be well-formed.
Punctuated by rhythmic bass, airy vocals, and influenced heavily by 80s reggae, Rush Midnight is Manning’s take on a fantasy-romance and an adventure.
“It’s really cinematic,” he said. “The songs I write and the music I make always have a visual in mind.”
He said he takes his inspiration from films that he’s seen or a book that he might have read recently and translates the visual aspects into his sound.
But the visuals don’t stop at the music. Manning said he designed the album artwork with the intention of having it look good wherever its displayed. Working off primary colours for now, the artwork for Manning’s EP was blue and Rush Midnight is entirely red.
Manning said the next album, which he has almost finished, will possibly be pink.
